It is a homeowner’s responsibility to keep their home secure. Naturally, a home security alarm system comes to mind, but there are other ways to keep a home safe. This article will offer you several different options to consider.

When you buy a new house, change the locks. You have no way of knowing how many folks might have keys to your house. Speak with a locksmith to get a unique lock for your home. This is also the thing to do if you lose the keys.

Man’s best friend can also be trusted to secure a spare key. In order to make this work, your dog either needs to stay outside or have access to a pet door. Simply affix a spare key to the collar of the animal. You’ll always have a backup plan if you lose your key!

Is your dog kept outside when you are away? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Fasten the key to your dog’s collar to hide it from view. This is an especially good idea if your dog doesn’t like strangers, and gives you easy access to get in your home.

Do you have a dog that stays in your yard when you’re not at home? She or he is actually a good place to keep the spare key. The key can be attached to the collar of your dog. This will ensure that burglars cannot see it. This is the perfect place to store a spare key, especially if your dog doesn’t care for strangers.

Home security systems offer additional features besides loud alarms during a break-in. They can be programmed to alert the homeowner if a person enters the home. This can be valuable to parents with small children as they are made aware their child has opened or closed a door.

Make sure you have a safe to keep valuable items in one place. This is vital if you don’t want diamonds, gold or other personal items exposed to a home intruder. Hide your safe in a hard to find place like the basement or attic.

Before leaving for vacation, turn off the ringers in your house. A ringing phone that goes unanswered may signal to a burglar that nobody is home.

Consider the advice of your friends when selecting your home security company. There are likely people you know that have had either good or bad experiences with these companies. Spending a few days asking for reviews is useful in helping you choose correctly.

Never allow a stranger to enter your home. This includes a salesperson or people looking for help. Some folks will enter to scout for security systems, and upon seeing you lack one, will resolve to return at a later time.

You never want to open up a door to a stranger without proper identification. You have no way of knowing if the stranger on the other side of the door wishes to do you harm. Therefore, only allow people you know and are expecting to enter your home.

Clear away all the dead and dried out vegetation around your home in the summer. These are vulnerable to fires and put your home in danger. Clearing your yard keeps your home, belongings and family much safer.

If your home has skylights, don’t neglect to secure them. Although skylights provide your home with a lot of light, it is also very helpful for burglars to break in. Your skylights need durable and reliable hardware for true protection.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. Keeping the car inside is a good way to keep criminals from stealing or harming it. Keeping your car out of sight is also a good way to prevent intruders from determining whether or not you are home.

You can hide things in your walls. If you own smaller things that need protection, think about keeping them hidden in the walls. You could utilize an electrical outlet, phone jack, or unused switch plate. You put in a fake plate if there aren’t any unused in your home.

Get to know your neighbors. Speak with your neighbors and friends in the area. Keep an eye on their houses and yards and request that they return the favor. Never neglect gossip. You may find out helpful information about strangers lurking around.

Spare Key

Don’t leave the packaging from any electronics or expensive purchases sitting on the curb until trash day. Having these type of boxes hanging around will give robbers a good idea of what type of merchandise you have inside of your home.

You should not hide your spare key under your mat or inside a plant box. These seem like great places for you when you misplace your key. Any thief knows all the typical hiding spots. The wisest course of action is to leave a spare key with a trusted friend or a reliable neighbor.

Were you aware that your home’s wires are valuable? Many people do not realize this until a crook steals it off of their home. The copper wiring can be stripped and be turned in for money. To protect this expensive asset, hide your wires or make them hard to get to.

Always lock your home, even if you plan on coming back within a few minutes. It may be shocking, but many home invasions and burglaries occur by intruders walking through the front door that was left open. Once a thief is inside, he can steal a lot of valuables in a short amount of time.

Always get references from anyone you are considering hiring to do work inside your home. Try doing a background check to look at their criminal history. It is impossible to know if the newly hired maid or one time repairman might be a crook unless you check them out. Providing them with your key might be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.

When choosing between security companies, read everything on the contract. There are sometimes fees if you break a contract or need additional equipment. You’ll want to avoid any surprises so be sure and read your contract carefully.

When about to sign a contract with any home security firm, read all the small print. There may be hidden costs involved that you were not aware of. Avoid as many fees as you can by reading everything.

Ask the home security companies to visit your home and design a system tailored to your needs. Every family is different, and so your security needs will be unique. If you’ve found a company that can tailor a system to you, you can receive the greatest amount of security to make you feel much more comfortable.

It is a good idea to invest in video surveillance for your home security system. Video camera installation can effectively make your home secure. Cameras that can be clearly seen have a powerful deterrent effect, while concealed cameras are difficult or impossible for intruders to disable. Nowadays, you can track your surveillance on your own cell phone.

Think about your specific needs and risks prior to investigating security systems. While alarm systems are great, they aren’t necessary for every family. Sometimes just taking a class in self defense or adopting a loud dog is enough, while at other times a full fledged security system might be the way to go. Be aware of your risks to make an intelligent purchasing decisions.

If you purchase an expensive item, get rid of the box rather than allowing it to sit outside your home. Burglars will notice these boxes and know what kind of valuables you have. When you have emptied the boxes, make sure you cut them up.

Wireless System

From the road, are your house numbers visible? If there’s an emergency, it will take longer for the police to locate your home if the numbers are concealed in any way or too small. Thankfully if you notice a problem it’s an easy and cheap thing to fix.

Look into wireless security systems. A wired system is probably less expensive, but wires are a hassle. A wireless system is easy to install and to maintain. Besides, you will still be able to count on your wireless system in case of a power outage.

You don’t have to have a giant key ring full of keys just because you want your home to be secure. Instead, use a numeric keypad. Install them yourself or get a local home security company to do that.

Do not put electronic boxes in the front of your house. This will show that you have expensive equipment in your home. Remember to cut up or break down those boxes and take them to the recycling center.

Blinds, shades and curtains are best closed when no one is home. Potential intruders will see what you are doing and get an idea of how many valuables you own if you keep your blinds open. If burglars see items in your home that appear valuable, they’ll likely break in to steal them. You ought to turn the curtains down if you are sleeping as well.

Keep curtains closed when you aren’t at home. If you leave them open, potential burglars can look in and case the joint. If a burglar sees something that is enticing, they are going to try and get it from your home. You should keep them closed while you are asleep.

It is always best to go with a solid heavy wooden door, or a metal door for extra security. This sort of door will deter intruders. A would-be intruder will have much more trouble getting through one of these than a hollow door. It should be possible for you to find replacements for all of your doors for a good price, so do it right away.

Your auto registration is best kept somewhere other than your glove compartment. Anyone with access to your car can find out where you live, so it is not a smart thing to do. Keep them with you or hide them elsewhere. However, make sure you have them in case you were to get pulled over by the cops.

Make sure you lock your second floor’s windows. Many people don’t think about burglars checking these windows. However, this is actually not how it goes. Experienced criminals know exactly where the majority of homeowners let their guards down, and they won’t fail to check for weaknesses like an open window on the second story.

Now that you’ve read through this, you should be able to have a safer home. Though it may all seem overwhelming, it is essential if you are to keep your loved ones and belongings secure. These tips can help.

Deadbolts featuring captive keylocks are usually your wisest choice. They include thumb latches that prevent anyone from breaking a window and reaching around to unlock the door. Always leave your key in the door when you are home so you can leave quickly if you have to.